I’m a huge fan of Drunk Elephant skin care for my sensitive skin. This is a great brand that truly understands skin sensitivity. I so appreciate that they don’t use ingredients like petrolatum, FRAGRANCE :), BHT, hydroquinone, PEGs, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, silicones and even essential oils. Yes. even essential oils can irritate those of us…

Reflecting back on my pregnancy skin care routine, I wanted to share some more products I used frequently when I was receiving compliments on my glowing skin during pregnancy. I used both of the products frequently in the latter half of 2016 because they are so gentle and non-irritating. I was so surprised at the…

This was my first Christmas without requesting makeup as a Christmas gift :). In the past I’ve always wanted at least an eye shadow set (I had amassed all Urban Decay Naked palettes), but as my ingredient choices have become more picky, has have my sensitive skin, I realized talc is an irritant. Butter London…

Baby is here but I’m still in major nesting mode, and much to my husband and my surprise, my obsession with cleaning out our possessions, reducing and simplifying them is still strong. One major driver for cataloging my years of skin care, melasma, makeup and dark spot experiences has been to be more mindful of…

A few months ago I was “in need” (OK that’s really a relative phrase when you are obsessed with makeup and skin care) of a new bronzer and I decided to reach out to my friend Aimee so I could try Savvy Minerals. I love trying new brands – not really loyal to just one…

When you really want to “feel” the dead skin roll away, peeling exfoliants like those below are the way to go! I was so excited to get the November 2017 Beauty Heroes box with natural skincare from Ayuna – Less is Beauty. Now I’ve really amassed a great collection of exfoliants! Peter Thomas Roth FirmX…

Going through my files, I realized I have a long overdue post about a San Diego gift shop that sells natural beauty products: En Concordia in Point Loma. I have fond memories of this cute little shop, because I first visited a few days after I found out I was pregnant earlier this year. It…

Who is excited for another new San Diego skin care boutique? ME! Makeup artist Lacey Haegen and founder of Beaute Nouveau is opening a new skin care spot, ApotheBeauty in October! Update: ApotheBeauty is here! #latergram 💄💅🏻Mom and I had fun at @apothebeauty grand opening last Sunday! Nice little stop when you’re grabbing coffee at…

So many face masks, so little time! This year I’ve amassed 3 superb cacao based antioxidant face masks. They are similar, but each a bit different so I’ve broken down the differences between them to help you choose. Birchrose + Co Cacao + Honey Antioxidant Face Mask Review I received this antioxidant mask in my…

Boscia used to be my go-to face cleanser. Whenever anyone needed a recommendation, I always suggested Boscia’s detoxifying black cleanser. And for making my makeup last longer? Boscia charcoal setting spray was my primary line of defense. I used to buy every new Boscia product. Then as I noticed I didn’t love each new product…

Yep, more lipstick! Nothing makes me feel more confident in hiding my melasma mustache than a good organic or natural lipstick (well OK maybe a good organic concealer too). I had been wanting to try Kjaer Weis products for a while and finally got to this spring. I really like the smoothness and color selection…

I’ve been trying to “detoxify” (eek I hate that word but I think it’s best way to describe it) my household, the foods I eat and products I use for the past 5 years or so. And I’ve been working to optimize my health looong before that. Generally speaking, every few weeks I’ll choose another…

Soooo it’s kind of hard to believe I’m writing this because like many women I know – even many women without PCOS – it’s taken us a while to get where we are (more on that part of the journey later, maybe)! We are going to have a baby later this year. It’s exciting but also…

Here we go again. Even more aluminum-free natural deodorant reviews. The journey never ends! I really like natural deodorant pastes that work like Soapwalla and Piper Wei, but let’s face it: I’m a creature of convenience and deodorant in stick form is just easier most days. Let’s get right to it: Freedom Natural Deodorant Review…

We’ve been a bit busy lately and I’m majorly losing track of time…how long ago did I buy these colorful beauties? A few weeks? Almost 2 months ago? Hard to keep track, but I’m finally getting around to my reviews. Farsali Unicorn Essence Review – What’s Not to Love? I frequently scan Sephora’s site for…

So many face oils and cleansing oils with not enough time to use them all! I’ve accidentally amassed a large collection over the years, so time cleanse my collection and compile a review roundup! Erno Laszlo Phelityl Cleansing Oil Review I love this oil because it is nostalgic and always reminds me of my mom….

Whew. Almost done reviewing all of the natural deodorants I’ve tried over the past 5 years! This post is all about the natural deodorant creams and pastes. Yes they can be a bit messy and they aren’t as convenient as stick deodorants, but sometimes they get the job done better! Primal Pit Paste Unscented Natural…

I’m still mourning the loss (discontinuance) of Bite Beauty Buttercream lipsticks. They were so luscious and unscented! My BITE Beauty multisticks review has been so popular, I knew I needed to share the rest of my BITE Beauty collection. Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick Reviews and Swatches The Good: These beauties are high moisture, high…

What motivates you for better beauty? Are you passionate about vegan products? Are you only interested in cruelty-free beauty? Do you use only organic skincare and makeup? Are you fine with added fragrance? Do you care about PEGs? or Propylene glycol? Do parabens or phthalates matter to you? There is no right answer. Everyone is trying…

If Kevyn Aucoin the sensual skin enhancer provides the best coverage for dark spots, melasma, hyperpigmentation and vitiligo, Cover FX (which also makes this a good alternative to Dermablend) and Marc Jacobs Re(marc)able full coverage foundation are close seconds. I’m very surprised Sephora doesn’t recommend this full coverage foundation more. I had a friend (who…